Reborn in '77, I have a job panel!

Chapter 108 Mother and Daughter are safe

At night, Zhang Mingxi can only sleep on his side, sometimes on his left, sometimes on his right, tossing and turning.

Qian Cheng also turned over, waking up whenever she moved, asking her if she wanted water, if she needed to go to the toilet, or if she was pressing on her stomach.

Qian Cheng sometimes thinks that he never imagined he would have such a life.

Lying quietly in the small house in the city, with his pregnant wife beside him, hand in hand.

Sometimes when Zhang Mingxi was hungry in the middle of the night, she would nudge him and say she wanted to eat something.

Qian Cheng got up and went to the kitchen to heat up a bowl of milk for her, or cook some glutinous rice balls, or sometimes break off a piece of steamed bun and spread some sesame paste on it.

Zhang Mingxi leaned against the headboard, eating slowly, bite by bite. After finishing, he rinsed his mouth and went back to sleep.

Qian Cheng lay back down and listened to her breathing gradually become even before closing his eyes.

He remembered when he was a child, his mother, Hou Yufen, would get up in the middle of the night to warm up his milk and cover him with a blanket, always so quietly, so as not to wake him.

Now it's his turn.

Some things you only understand when it happens to you.

When she was eight months pregnant, Zhang Mingxi took maternity leave and stopped going to school.

Qian Cheng was worried that she would be bored at home alone, so he called her every noon to ask if she had eaten, slept, and wanted to know what she wanted to eat.

Zhang Mingxi said it was fine and told him not to worry about it.

But Qian Cheng still kept it in mind. Sometimes he would get distracted during meetings, and it would take Lao Wang several times for him to come to his senses.

Old Wang said, "Little Qian, are you missing your wife?"

Qian Cheng said no, he just didn't sleep well last night.

Old Wang laughed and said, "Stop being stubborn. We'll handle things at the company. Go back and be with her."

Qian Cheng waved his hand and said he didn't need it and would stay a little longer, but after sitting for less than ten minutes, he still stood up and left.

When I got home, Zhang Mingxi was sitting on the sofa reading a book, with the radio on and music playing.

Seeing him return, she was taken aback: "Why are you here so early?"

""

"I came back as soon as everything was alright."

Zhang Mingxi glanced at him, didn't ask any more questions, and moved over to make room for him.

Qian Cheng sat down, and she leaned in. The two of them sat close together, listening to songs on the radio.

It was an old song, he didn't even know its name, it was slow and pleasant to listen to.

Zhang Mingxi hummed along, but then stopped. Qian Cheng looked down and saw that she had fallen asleep.

He gently covered her with the blanket, turned down the radio, and sat there watching her sleep.

When she was asleep, her face was round and she looked much fatter than before she was pregnant. She was chubby and had long eyelashes that sometimes fluttered like butterfly wings.

Qian Cheng looked at it, and his heart softened terribly.

He reached out and gently touched her hair, then pulled back, afraid of waking her.

Days passed by like this, one after another, slowly, like a snail crawling, yet it felt like they were going by quickly. Before I knew it, my due date was almost here.

Qian Cheng called Hou Yufen and said it would be soon, in the next few days.

Hou Yufen was overjoyed on the other end of the phone, saying she was coming right away.

Qian Cheng told me not to rush, to come back after the baby is born.

Hou Yufen said no, she had to come early, in case she gave birth early.

Qian Cheng couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he had to agree. He told her to take the bus in town and he would pick her up when they arrived in the provincial capital.

Hou Yufen arrived the next afternoon.

She was carrying a large bundle containing small clothes, a small quilt, a small pillow, two packets of brown sugar, and a bag of eggs.

Qian Cheng went to the station to pick her up and saw that she was carrying such a big bag. He felt very sorry for her and quickly took it from her.

"Mom, why did you bring so much stuff?"

Hou Yufen said, "These are all for the children. Things are expensive in the city, so we bring them ourselves."

Qian Cheng smiled and helped her into the car.

When he arrived home, Zhang Mingxi was waiting at the door.

When Hou Yufen saw her, she quickly went over, took her hand, and looked her up and down, left and right.

"You've lost weight, your face is so much thinner now."

Zhang Mingxi couldn't help but say, "Mom, I've gained weight. I'm more than 20 pounds heavier than when I wasn't pregnant."

Hou Yufen quickly shook her head: "It's not fat. Let Chengzi make whatever you want to eat. Don't be stingy."

After Hou Yufen arrived, the house became even more lively.

She cooks different dishes every day; one day she stews chicken, the next day she boils fish, and the day after that she makes dumplings.

Zhang Mingxi couldn't eat much, so she urged Qian Cheng to eat more, saying that he had lost weight and needed to replenish himself.

Hou Yufen also took out all the children's clothes, washed them one by one, and hung them out to dry on the balcony.

The little clothes, colorful and bright, flutter in the wind like little flags.

Qian Cheng looked at the little clothes and felt a mix of emotions—joy, nervousness, anticipation, and fear.

Zhang Mingxi noticed his nervousness and asked him what was wrong.

Qian Cheng only said that he was fine, just a little flustered.

Zhang Mingxi asked Qian Cheng with a smile: What are you panicking about? It's not like you're the one who gave birth.

Qian Cheng, with his neck stiff, said: "I'm just panicking. What if I can't help you when the time comes?"

Zhang Mingxi smiled and reassured Qian Cheng, who was feeling anxious: "You don't need to help. There's a doctor here. You can just wait outside."

Qian Cheng thought about it and realized that he could only wait.

Two days before her due date, Zhang Mingxi's stomach started to hurt.

It comes in waves, not intense, but you can definitely feel it.

Hou Yufen said it would be soon, in the next day or two.

Qian Cheng was extremely worried and wanted to take him to the hospital.

Hou Yufen said not to rush, to wait until the pain subsides before going.

Qian Cheng was restless, pacing back and forth in the room, glancing at Zhang Mingxi, then at the clock, and then at the door.

Seeing Qian Cheng like this, Hou Yufen laughed and joked, "When you were about to be born, your father did the same thing, wandering around the yard all night."

""

Qian Cheng asked, "And then?"

Hou Yufen sighed and recalled the past: "After you came out, he stopped turning around."

That night, Zhang Mingxi's pain intensified, and Qian Cheng immediately decided to go to the hospital. Qian Cheng and his mother, Hou Yufen, quickly packed their bags and the three of them went out.

Qian Cheng helped Zhang Mingxi downstairs, hailed a car, and headed to the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, the doctor examined her and determined that she still had a few hours until her due date, so she had to stay and wait. Qian Cheng quickly completed the admission procedures, settled Zhang Mingxi in, and sat by her bedside to keep her company.

Hou Yufen told him to go back and rest, explaining that she would be busy again tomorrow.

Qian Cheng refused; he had to stay here with them tonight.

There were other women in labor in the ward; some were moaning, some were sleeping. Zhang Mingxi was also in pain, but she endured it without making a sound, just holding Qian Cheng's hand tightly.

After enduring the pain all night, Zhang Mingxi was wheeled into the delivery room just before dawn.

Qian Cheng stood at the door of the delivery room, waiting anxiously.

The corridor was quiet except for the sound of his footsteps.

He walked back and forth dozens of times, then stopped and stared at the door.

The door was tightly closed, and you couldn't see anything.

I don't know how long I waited, but suddenly I heard a "waa" from inside, and the child started crying.

Qian Cheng was startled and stood up straight.

The door opened, and a nurse peeked out.

"Zhang Mingxi's family?"

'

Qian Cheng quickly replied, "Yes, that's me."

The nurse smiled and reported to Qian Cheng: "Congratulations, it's a girl, weighing seven pounds and six ounces. Mother and daughter are safe and sound."

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